Blood Soaked Kryptonite
by Fae 206
Summary: In protecting their six-month-old son, Clark allows himself to get captured by the United States government and the world learns about his double identity. When talks go into testing on "animals" can Lois uncover enough about the experiments to be Clark's savior this time? How far will these experiments go and can he find the strength to survive?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: **I've really been getting back into this series recently 😊 There are a lot of fanfics which I like to work on so my updates range from between once a day and once every two months. Still. I hope you enjoy.

**Blood Soaked Kryptonite**

**Chapter One**

The past six months had seemed insane. Lois and Clark had woken up one day to find that they had a baby, a child that was actually linked to them both genetically. A child who had half-Kryptonian blood and half-human blood. How something like that worked was difficult to say. However, they did have a baby now. They had named the child Johnathan Kent after his grandfather. Lois had taken some time off to take care of the baby and work from home. It was a sacrifice which she had had to make because – although Clark had offered to be the stay at home dad – Superman was needed to continue to save Metropolis.

This wasn't the first time, the news reporting couple would prioritize the man of steel and the actions he chose to do. It was something that was worth the sacrifice. Still, raising their child had given them all different kinds of problems.

A baby was difficult to take care of for first time parents already, a baby who had half-Kryptonian DNA was an even more impossible challenge. Johnathan had already shown signs of being half-alien and being less than a year old, was having trouble with his powers.

Lois looked up from the article she was reading to see that Johnathan was crying again. She turned to see him in Clark's arms, playing with the glasses that were a key part of his disguise. She smiled before seeing the reporter take them in his hand and heard Johnathan's wails and saw the cracks in the walls starting to form.

"Hey," Clark said with difficulty as he bounced his son in his arms and heard him start to calm down, his cries softening but as soon as that happened, he seemed to shoot a laser at the edge corner of the wall before crying again. "Are you really sure that…that I don't need to be with him more?" Clark asked as Lois took the glasses from Johnathan and handed him a teddy bear in a Superman outfit instead.

"I've learned the signs and how to calm him down. He's a very good boy. He just needs to understand more about controlling his powers," Lois kissed Clark's cheek lovingly. "Your mother said the same about you and both she and your father were able to take care of you, raise you. I think that since we both know about your abilities then we're in a better situation than they were."

"If he's shooting lasers out of his eyes though," Clark said as he kissed Johnathan on the forehead, "That's really not safe for you. I don't blame him, I'm sure when I was younger I didn't -"

"Are you trying to say that _you're_ not safe for me?" Lois challenged him and Clark coughed. He saw the way she looked at him and knew that he could never convince her to what the actual truth was. The actual truth was that did he have the mindset of a child, he would consider himself unsafe to be around. Being a kid had left him with a lot of joy and experiences and memories but he had built his control of his powers around those things. Johnathan barely had a reference for what was supposedly normal.

"I'm saying that we should look into my staying with the two of you more, trying to do my own work at home…"

"Right," Lois teased, "because I'm really expecting for bombs, terrorists, train derailments, astroi-"

Clark sighed and raised an eyebrow, "Okay. My work as Clark Kent at home, the work that I'm known for, not the type of work that the other side of me is known for. I mean, obviously, Superman needs to keep danger as far away as possible."

"As long as you come back at the end of the day, no matter which outfit it is, we'll be fine," Lois smiled as she fixed his collar and patted down his shoulders. "I love you," she grinned before seeing him have that look in his eyes meaning that he had to change and fly off to help countless other people. She smiled as she saw him go. She knew that he wanted to be Johnathan's daddy but he also needed to save others and help people, it was who he was, it was whom she had fallen in love with.

…..

…..

As Clark held Johnathan's stroller, he checked on his son and smiled before turning to Lois who was talking with someone at the front desk. He was a little worried about how his son would take to this visit especially since his powers appeared to be developing. He could only hope for the best. As he stepped inside though, it was as if there was a sharp jolt to his head for a moment. He flinched and Lois hurried him into a corner.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him before touching his forehead to check on him. He still felt fine. She didn't need to quickly pull her hand back as if he were sick or anything like that. She looked around trying to see if there was anything suspicious. Kryptonite of some kind.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Clark told her, "Must have just been some kind of laser or bright light."

Lois nodded uneasily before looking around, she couldn't see anything that might be causing Clark to have a reaction and Johnathan seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Maybe it was some kind of light or some kind of laser. "But you're all right now?" she asked and Clark nodded quickly. "Tell me if there's something, anything, that doesn't feel right. Maybe it isn't sa-"

"It's fine," Clark told her as he did a scan with his x-ray vision before nodding to her again. "It's fine, I can't spot any danger. We're just a little nervous because this is our first trip back here as a small family," he said and Lois rolled her eyes but kissed his cheek again. "Honey, it's fine," he attempted to remind her and Lois sighed.

"Yes, it is fine. I've always been fine here," she said as she mentally scolded herself for not being the bold and daring reporter that she once was. Clark smiled to her before they entered into the news room and she kept her eyes on Johnathan in the stroller. As they walked along, Jimmy immediately jumped up from his desk and came towards them.

"Hey," he smiled before throwing his arms around Lois, "Man, it's so great to see you two back in the news room together," he said despite Clark making time for them to get together outside of work. "And it's always great to see this little guy," Jimmy continued as he let his hand brush through Johnathan's strands. "CK, you really are one lucky guy."

Clark smiled with a soft laugh, "I have no doubt that you'll be just as lucky," he said as he gave Jimmy a nudge and a wink. The younger man smiled to him. He wanted to be known as just a good a reporter as the man opposite him. Perhaps one day he would be. One day he'd be strolling in with a baby and a very attractive, very successful, very intimidating wife. Maybe one day, Jimmy would be the equivalent of Clark Kent.

"Hopefully, CK, but that's an awful lot of hoping," Jimmy said before they saw a new staff member walking over to them. Clark adjusted his glasses. He didn't recognize them. He was here a lot of the time still – when he wasn't on cases or acting as a superhero – and he didn't recognize him. He also didn't feel happy about the suitcase he was holding. He tried to look into it but his eyes stung as if there was some kind of item that he couldn't see through.

"Are you okay?" Lois asked as she saw the man pull out a phone and dialed someone. Clark stood in front of her protectively and the man studied them.

"Hi, I don't believe we've met," Clark said as he offered his hand out to the man opposite them. "I'm Clark Kent," he smiled, "my wi-"

"I've been waiting for you," the man said and Jimmy frowned as he turned to look between the two of them. There was the sound of sirens from outside the building and Lois reached a hand out to take Clark's wrist before her eyes widened. She saw a collection of shining green rocks and a few gold ones with green tints in the suitcase and felt Clark getting weak and unable to maintain proper composure.

Lois reached out to him but Clark looked to her and then looked at Johnathan who had blood drops starting to appear on his body and he was wailing.

"Get him out of here!" Clark yelled as Jimmy looked between them horrified. Jimmy immediately scooped Johnathan up, pulling back from them and trying to hold the baby protectively. Men were running into the building now as the member of The Daily Planet came out to see this. There were more cases opened and Clark found himself having trouble to breathe. He knew though, if this was the pain which he was feeling, Johnathan must be feeling something worse.

"Close the cases," Clark said as he tried to control himself. "Close them," he said, "I know you want me. I know why you're here. You're not only hurting me, you're hurting my son."

"Are you ready to reveal yourself and come into custody with the United States government," the man asked and Clark heard Johnathan's painful sobs. He nodded. He couldn't run. He couldn't afford to escape from them and cause them to hurt his son more. He stepped forwards with his hands open in order for them to cuff him.

"I promise to do whatever you want me to do as long as he isn't placed in any danger," Clark heard the cases being closed and turned to Lois sadly but was relieved when he saw how Johnathan was breathing. He saw everyone looking at him, all of the friends and colleagues he had made and took a deep breath in before feeling a hand strike him across the face and his glasses flew off.

He looked up, not amused.

**End of Chapter One**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Clark froze as he looked at the man in front of him. He would respect their wishes despite what they might want to do to him. His wife and his son were most important to him. Maybe he was selfish in that but didn't he deserve to be selfish when it came to his family? He could see all eyes drawn on him as the glasses landed on the ground but he continued to stare at them.

"So," the man said as he leaned forwards and tore off the buttons of Clark's button up shirt, the reporter still staring at him as the man took a step back seeing the costume. Everyone could see the truth now. Everyone could see how this mild manner reporter defeated criminals in his spare time.

"Whatever you do to me, I will not allow you to hurt my son," he said as Lois managed to run over to him, touching his shoulder as she saw tiny green crystals in his handcuffs. There was still Kryptonite in them. She kissed his cheek affectionately before pressing her forehead to his shoulder.

"I'll find a way to solve this and bring everything back to normal," she promised him before feeling others to drag her away. She wanted to be with him. She hated to see him exposed and in so much danger. "Clark! I love you! Hold onto that strength for me," she told him and Clark faced the man opposite him.

"So, now the world sees that you are Superman, disguised as Clark Kent," the man laughed and Clark glared at him, unable to use his powers due to the handcuffs.

"Now the people in this room know that I am Clark Kent, sometimes disguised as Superman," he argued with them with his chin raised. He needed to act like the protective father he was. He needed to preserve the good in his nature and the image that his son had of him. "So take me away. Do whatever you want to me, I'll permit you that, but do not ever risk the life and safety of my child. _That_ I can never forgive."

Clark could see the way that the people he had worked with for years were staring at him as if he had become someone else and he was shoved backwards and pushed into the van that they had waiting for him. He could see Lois's desperate face and offered her a quick look of apology before he was driven away and the non-Planet workers left the building.

"Did you know?" Jimmy asked as the wounds that Johnathan had had healed once the Kryptonite was removed from the building. Lois took hold of her son, wrapping her arms around him securely.

"Of _course_ I knew," she argued. "I knew before I agreed to marry him."

"So you were keeping this story under wraps?" Perry asked her in shock. Lois turned to him, her eyes with tears in them as she tried to protect their child.

"It's not exactly headline news or at least…it wasn't…whatever they are doing to _Clark_, I need to report on it. I need to get as close to the case as possible," Lois urged and Perry turned to her. Lois was scared when she saw a sense of being betrayed in his eyes.

"I can't let you do that, it would go against the journalist's code," he said and Lois stood firm. They were _not_ going to get away with this.

…..

…..

After a long plane flight, which Clark was considering ironic that he had had to board a plane surrounded by armed guards and military officials whilst wearing his Superman outfit with the ability to fly, they arrived at Washington DC. Clark took slow breaths before one of the officers shoved him.

"According to tests, your ice breath isn't going to work under the effect of that much Kryptonite," he said and Clark looked at him. His eyes snapping open and looking at the man beside him with anger showing beneath the surface.

"I don't intend to escape," he told him and the officer rolled his eyes before pushing him onto his feet.

"Likely story," another military official said and Clark closed his eyes. He had to steady himself somehow. He had no idea what they would be doing to him but it wasn't good. It wasn't good that they knew his true identity. It wasn't good that Lois had no idea where he was or what was happening to him. This was a situation he had tried to avoid for many many years and yet he was faced with it now.

"I wouldn't dare to even attempt to escape," Clark told them as he felt them shove him forwards and guide him out of the jet. He bowed his head before having his chin forced up. Wouldn't they allow him to have the freedom to do anything?

"How can we trust that?" the Sergeant Major said and Clark looked at him with exhaustion in his eyes. It wasn't only the Kryptonite that was weakening him but the idea of giving himself up unwillingly.

"Because you hurt my son," Clark told them honestly. "Because I choose to prioritize my son. I choose to be a father first. I would do anything to protect him and that means I can't escape knowing that you won't stop at just hurting him one time."

"Correct," the sergeant said and Clark had to calm himself to not go on the offensive due to his need to protect his son. "If you don't comply with our plan, we will take your child into custody of The United States government. I'm sure that children with half-Kryptonian DNA will be an interesting study." Clark shifted as he heard those words but felt them tap on his wrist where the cuff was and the pain from the Kryptonite surged through his body. For Johnathan's sake, he wouldn't allow himself to act on the anger he was feeling. Who knew what they would do to his child.

"You must be breaking some kind of law," Clark argued with him. "There will be peop-"

"Our laws only cover humans," the sergeant sneered at him, "Not aliens. We'll show you what we do to alien lifeforms soon enough," he said and Clark looked at him and then saw a few more top-ranking government employees as well as some scientists. His eyes widened. What were scientists here for?

"We need to get him to the lab as soon as possible," one of the scientists said and Clark turned pale. "We have to start with the experiments as soon as possible before his body starts to break down. We need to start with the vivisection before the dissection."

"Di-dissection?" Clark asked his heart pounding in his chest. They couldn't be serious, could they? "I have rights. I must have some kind of ri-"

Clark felt a sharp shock to the back of his neck and collapsed, something had paralyzed him. It didn't matter how weak he already felt, as the drug went through his body, he felt himself falling. As his eyes closed, he said only one word, "Lois."

…

…

Lois paced the apartment, looking like a complete mess as she tried to find the files which she had on Clark, anything that could help him or save him or protect him. This was bad. This was better than him being dead or nearly lost in time or sent scattered around the universe, at least he was alive to her knowledge. Still, this was very very bad.

Lois knew that she looked like a complete mess but she couldn't just stand by and not do anything. She knew that she had married someone who wasn't from this planet but that didn't matter. She had heard about the Roswell experiments and despite Clark looking human, they would still hurt him for their own sick purposes.

As she heard a knock on the door, she grabbed a frying pan and walked towards the door before sighing. She opened it to see Johnathan Sr. and Martha standing there. They eyed the frying pan and then her anxious face.

"What's wrong?" Martha asked as Johnathan tried to figure out the situation. Lois looked sadly over at the crib and then pulled Johnathan Jr. into her arms.

"I need you to take care of Johnny," she said as she kissed her son's forehead. "It's a riskier thing to ask. I understand if you consider it too risky but I just need for Johnny to be taken care of," she said with tears in her eyes. "You two are the only ones I can ask. His powers are developing and I'm assuming that when Clark was young -"

"There was a lot we were able to learn from him, of course, his powers didn't all develop so early on," Martha said as she looked to her grandson. Despite them not being related biologically, her love for him didn't change. It wouldn't be different if he was connected to them by DNA, he was their son's son, he was their amazing grandchild.

"What happened?" Johnathan asked as he saw Martha take Johnny from Lois, bouncing him lovingly. "Something happened."

"Clark got seized by the government," Lois said as she looked to the shocked Kents. "They removed him from Metropolis, the only thing I know is that they are taking him to Washington DC and that they know his secret. I know he's not going to fight against them or attempt to escape so I need to get as close to him as possible."

Martha looked at her nervously and Johnathan placed a supportive hand on her shoulder seeing his own wife pale.

"Why wouldn't he fight back? He knows the dangers that he's putting himself through _especially_ if they know the link between him and Superman," she said as Johnathan closed his eyes. His worst fear was his son being tortured in a lab and treated as some kind of an experiment.

"Johnny was at risk," Lois said as they all turned to the tiny and defenseless infant. "They used his safety to get to Clark and of course…"

"Clark would prioritize you and Johnny over anything," Johnathan said as Martha tried to hold back some sobs. "No matter _what_ it means for himself."

**End of Chapter Two**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Clark had no idea how many hours he had been trapped in this metal box that was more like a cage than a cell. He followed the earthly rules for the most part and he had stood in jail cells before and been a law abiding individual but even in his boy scout type of mind, Clark would have wanted to escape from this place. It was the way that the Kryptonite was placed in the walls that made it so that he was weakening over and over until it was killing him.

He felt the same pain before when he had had the virus that Lois's father had helped him with. However, he knew he needed to live through this pain this time. Despite how woozy he was. Despite how he didn't feel able to stand or speak properly, he had to get through this pain and be with Jon and Lois. He just had to find his own strength.

He felt his head rest on the back of the wall as the researcher came in, followed by two women. His eyes felt blurry as he tried to pay attention to them. They had said that he would be meeting with legal representation soon, that he would be able to make a case over how he was being mistreated as an animal and that even livestock had rights. He was more than just a pig or a sheep or a cow though. He was equal to a man.

He felt a sharp pain in his lungs as they gassed the room but let the doors open and he fell down still wearing the superhero uniform they hadn't let him change out of. This didn't feel good at all.

….

….

It was a good thing for Lois that she had made so many connections and had favors to call in. She also had years of experience of sneaking into any situation undetected. This time it was more dangerous but there were still the same clues as to who she should become in order to get the story. She was going to hopefully get a lot more than that. Her career which had been around longer than her relationship was worth risking to save him. She looked at herself in the mirror, strawberry blonde wig, green eye contacts, a research assistant outfit that looked sexy as well as professional.

She was supposed to be a trainee with excellent references, the youngest of the team. She just needed to learn where the youngest of the team turned into the one who had special privileges when it came to working closely with Superman. She heard the buzz of her phone and checked it instinctively. Nothing. She wished that he would call her. Perry was waiting for her to give the go-ahead on publishing his identity and Lois was shocked the government hadn't done it themselves.

As she got to the area where the researcher was going to prep them for their task, Lois's eyes widened on a number of boards all showing different pictures of Superman and close ups of all parts of his body. There were illustrations near them of how people thought that his body worked. There were lists and as Lois managed to get a few photos snuck of them, she realized that they were a list of tests and experiments that they wanted to do. Her eyes widened. There were so many drugs, so many…procedures. It really looked like they were talking about a dinosaur or other mythical creature.

"It's very important that we have you ladies all give your solemn oath to keeping the confidentiality which we require," a scientist addressed them and Lois paused as she watched him in an attempt to stay neutral, "the specimen has been sedated. He is no longer dangerous." Okay. Maybe it was going to be a huge attempt to try to look neutral during this but she needed to do so. She was Lois Lane, skilled reporter. She could do anything. She _would_ do anything if it meant saving him.

"The specimen is not to be told anything of this. He is to be sedated and operated upon. In a few weeks, hopefully the tests will have been performed and we'll start the work on cutting into the brain of th-" Lois froze, her eyes widening. She hadn't expected them to say that. It terrified her but she knew that she had to act like some kind of android without emotions.

"Wouldn't that hurt him?" one of the other women asked, "Why would you want to cut into his brain?"

Lois felt a little relieved when someone else was bringing this up. Clark must not know about any of this yet but he had to. She could come up with a plan to keep both him _and_ Johnathan safe. There were other people that they could ask to help.

"We don't like to think of it as a he," the scientist said, "it's hard to perform these tests when you show the specimen empathy."

"He might have a family though. A wife and kids. He's more of a -" the first woman said and Lois watched her closely. She saw the scientist go over to her, examining her before putting a hand on her shoulder.

"You are excused from this experiment," he said and shoved the woman away. "You are still under our confidentiality contract, however, you will no longer be needed at this time." Lois froze, taking a couple of steps away from her. As much as it hurt, the main thing was to get in and get close to him. She listened obediently for the further instructions.

Once they had been briefed Lois and the other woman followed the researcher into the lab where Lois had her attention drawn to the metal box that was barely large enough to stand up in. It was a heavy steel but all over it were pieces of Kryptonite. It was some kind of torture chamber for keeping Superman in.

Lois took a look at her husband. He wasn't doing well at all, it appeared as if he were having trouble even maintaining consciousness. Everything inside of her was screaming at her to tell them that he could die if they didn't change the amount of Kryptonite near to him. That was in their own interests though, they _wanted _him dead eventually. She saw his agony as some kind of gas was released into the cage and he lost consciousness.

It was killing her inside having to see him like this. After all that he had given to everyone, they were treating him like an animal. Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to keep herself together. He was as good as dead and she was here pretending that everything was okay. It wasn't fair. She saw them drag his body over onto an operating table as if he were some kind of bovine who was being cut up for steaks.

"You," the researcher said as he pointed to her and Lois froze, pointing to herself, "Prepare the specimen for testing." He gestured to Clark's limp body which looked almost lifeless. Lois nodded, knowing that they didn't suspect her and nodded. She went over to him, seeing how limp and lifeless he was. If he were a weaker man, he would most likely be dead at this point.

Lois put a hand to his strong jaw and let a couple of her fingers go over his lips.

"I have something that I'd like to discuss with you in the other room, I'm sure that Ms. Clearwater is able to tend to the subject," a second researcher said and the voice sounded familiar to Lois but she couldn't place it. She was surprised when everyone else left the room and she was left alone with Clark. Was this planned? She had been told there would be other people who would help her.

Lois gently let her fingers spread out over his skin, she nervously looked at him trying to make sure that his injuries weren't too damaging. There was some scarring and bruises and scrapes and he had obviously had some wounds that had bled but they looked like something he could survive. It was the Kryptonite that was making him feel weak.

Lois quickly got some green costume jewels from her pocket and started to take the Kryptonite from the handcuffs out, exchanging them for the green plastic gems from anyone trying to wear the costume of a typical green glowing alien. She squeezed his hand lovingly as she exchanged the last piece and heard his voice or his murmurs.

"Clark?" she whispered as she saw his eyes widen slightly, he stared at her but she hadn't seen him this way. This was worse than the illness he had had that holiday period. At least with a cold, you could expect some symptoms to be similar. This looked like he wasn't even present but he was still staring at her confused. "Are you…are you awake?"

"I…I'm awa—" he said sounding exhausted and it made Lois feel horrified to what was happening around her. "Do I…I ca-I can si-"

"You just stay there for right now," Lois whispered as she kissed his cheek and he looked at her extremely delirious. She would have understood had he turned to her and said that he didn't know who she was even looking right at her. "I'm sorry that I can't help you more. I'm trying. Do you think that you can escape from here?"

"From…here?" he asked and then let his body rest. Lois sighed as she saw the equipment next to him. She stared at the vials, some of these had chemicals in them that were toxic to humans. She wished that she could do something, take him somewhere. She took some very quick photographs of everything before she heard the researchers coming in. She squeezed Clark's hand again. She wanted to end this, she wanted to do more for him but this was the extent to what she was able to do.

She looked at him before taking a few steps back into her character. She hated seeing him in such a position but drawing attention to herself might hurt him even more and she didn't want to endanger their son. Clark was doing all of this _for _their son. He would never forgive himself if anything were to happen to the two of them.

"They're not going to get away with this," she whispered to him as he blinked and tried to look around. Lois felt her heartbreak as she stayed there whilst they made cuts into his skin, took out parts of his tissue, parts of bone to analyze, used numerous chemicals on him to see a result.

She wanted to stop them but fortunately she was able to get some photographs from this. Hopefully by going to the right people, these experiments would have to stop on him. It was the worst day of Lois's life and how she was able to leave at the end of the day with the evidence was some kind of a miracle to her.

**End of Chapter Three**

**Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: **Sorry it took me a long time to update this. Thank you for coming back to read it.

**Chapter Four**

Lois hadn't forgiven herself for falling asleep when she had got back to the hotel. She had drawn up numerous plans to help her husband, she had tested numerous theories and hypotheses. She still couldn't find the right way of doing it. She closed her eyes and flinchedo as she heard some labored breaths. She didn't have superpowers but it was as if he was communicating with her. She heard his yell of pain and grabbed her coat, putting her shoes on. "Clark," she whispered. She knew that something was wrong, well everything was wrong but there was something even worse.

After checking with Clark's parents that their son was safe, she rushed out. She didn't care that it was one o'clock in the morning. Those were cries of anguish, cries for help which she had just witnessed. She couldn't just ignore them.

She had broken into places before and although this was one of the most high tech places where she had, she could do it. It took her only a little over an hour to get into the lab but she could already sense that a doctor was there. She was fortunate enough to grab a flashlight which showed her files on the desk, there were also samples of Clark's bones, tissues, skin, she was scared to find an organ or two.

Her eyes then caught onto something that scared her all the way through her body. She wrapped an arm around her midsection about to throw up but it wasn't time for that now. She didn't really have time for anything other than to get to him. Her eyes burned with the labelling she had seen: 'Superman Lobotomy'. She felt more ill than she ever had before. They weren't going to kill him but this would destroy Superman. He worked by showing his character and passion.

Bolting down the hallway, she saw that the light was on in the room where Clark had undergone that torture before, where she had seen him have to endure the pain of them cutting into his body with tools that had been affected by Kryptonite. She heard him groan again and, not caring about her own life, she rushed in, grabbing the gun she fortunately had in her coat pocket.

"Get away from him!" she ordered. "I'll shoot!"

Lois looked over to Clark where his head was bandaged. Her eyes widened but she didn't put the gun down. Had she been too late? Had they finished the operation already? _I'll make sure you get help, sweetheart_, she thought to herself. How would he be when she could finally speak with him? No, it didn't matter. Lois saw the doctor move towards him with a knife and she fired her gun into his dominant arm. "I'm not kidding!" she said and the man took out a gun of his own.

"Neither am I," he replied. Lois felt her breath tighten and she looked again at Clark but only for a fraction of a second.

"What have you done to him?" she whispered, the hate obvious in the tone of her voice. The doctor laughed sadistically and Lois felt her body move automatically. She pulled the gun on him again, grazing his shoulder but causing him enough pain so he dropped his weapon. She saw him approach her and, using the skills she knew, was able to kick, punch, and throw him enough that he lost consciousness. She saw the blood. He wouldn't bleed out like that but maybe she should call someone…after she found out Clark's condition.

"Sweetheart," she whispered as she came to close to him and saw the green glowing rocks that were making him weak and keeping it so that he couldn't fight back. Had they really operated on his brain? She closed her eyes, feeling the tears before chucking the rocks as far as she could away from him. What if they had gone through with the operation? What would be the best thing for him? Would she have to try to find an assisted living community for _Superman_?

After she got rid of every piece of Kryptonite she could see, she very gently unrolled the bandages that were covering his head. There was a heavy bruise but no scarring, no signs of the operation. She placed a hand on her chest in relief. She gently cupped his cheek and kissed his forehead. "Honey?" she asked as she dared herself to kiss his lips. He was so much colder than usual. She felt the tears roll down her cheeks

"L-Lo-" he said extremely weakly as his eyelids fluttered.

Lois grabbed his hand and sobbed loudly. She squeezed onto it, she needed to support him now, she needed to get him out of here just like she should have the day before. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him to her chest. His entire body was weak and cold. "I'm here," she told him as she felt him struggling to breathe. "Clark, I'm right here."

Hearing the sound of sirens, she held to him closer, she closed her eyes tightly once she had seen the wounded doctor. He was alive. They would get him medical attention before he was too badly wounded but what would happen to her. She had done it out of self-defense but she had also broken in here. What would happen to her love? Would they take him back to the room? Would they complete the procedure without a way of stopping them?

Lois made up her mind in that moment that unless they were to physically force her arms off of him, she was going to hold Clark pressed close to her chest, no matter what. Maybe he wasn't a citizen by birth but they had made him a citizen. She had just not listened to them and that was her fault. He _was_ a citizen of this country. Perhaps he was of alien birth but he wasn't an alien to her. In her eyes, Kryptonians weren't really aliens because they didn't look like those cartoonish aliens that were shown in sci-fi movies.

"Ma'am," one of the officers said to her and Lois still held close to her husband. "Please put your hands on your head, drop your weapon, and turn around."

"The weapon is on the floor," Lois told them as she turned to look at them and then looked at the gun, trying to draw their attention there. "As for putting my hands on my head, I am unable to do that. I'm holding someone much more important that myself."

"That's an order!" the police officer yelled at her and Lois moved her body to show Clark was nearly dead, the amazing and much-loved Superman was nearly dead. "Let go of the hostage!"

"Hostage!?" Lois yelled at him. "I just so happen to be his _wife_. It's this place that is keeping him hostage. He's done nothing wrong. Yes, his body is a little different than ours but he has the same rights. He _is_ a citizen of this country despite the origins of his birth. I'm not letting go of him."

"I am sure that…" the man looked at the doctor who was starting to regain consciousness. "Get the paramedic in here for him," the officer said as he kept a gun pointed at Lois who was defiantly refusing his orders.

Clark looked up groggily at the officer. He managed to use enough strength to get out of Lois's hold and tried to stand up off of the table he was on but he immediately fell to the ground giving another sound of pain. "She-She's ri—right…" he struggled to say, his breathing still impacted. Lois immediately went to kneel beside him. She pushed his hair back, her pain increasing as she felt his high fever even for him. Despite the burn on her hand, she kept it on there for as long as possible.

"I have to get him out of here," Lois whispered as the officer's eyes widened and he stared at another officer. A third was coming up to him with the instructions for the lobotomy procedure.

"Seems like we got here in time, if we'd only been a moment later," he said and Lois glared at them. She saw Clark fall to the ground, his breathing was still painful to him and his eyes were closing. She moved his body so she put his head on her knees and very gently pushed her fingers through his hair.

"_I_ got here in time," Lois argued. "But maybe not. He _needs_ to be taken out of here. He needs to be seen by a safe doctor who won't use him as a lab experiment."

The officer nodded and Lois saw them lower their weapons. She held tight to her love. Would he be able to recover from this? He had survived when pushed to the very brink of death but somehow this seemed worse. His body would be able to heal itself even if it took a little longer than usual but his mind. Would his mind ever be repaired? Would he be stable when he woke up? She leaned down and kissed him.

"You're going to be all right," she said to him though she wasn't even sure if she believed her own words. "You're going to be all right."

LLCKLLCK

Lois stood in the hotel room with her arm wrapped around her waist. He was still ill. They had thought that there had been some kind of infection or at least after effect from the experimentation performed on him. His body was fighting it off but he was still weak, still unable to protect the world as he did once. He had been in this room for four days now and fortunately Dr. Kline had examined him and the Kents had brought Johnathan back. Lois gently placed another damp towel on his forehead but saw the smoke from it. She knew she had to treat his physiology different than a human's but he usually healed by himself

"Are you sure that there aren't going to be any charges?" she asked as she took hold of Clark's hand again. "They've checked his citizenship records. I mean, you said that when you adopted him, you listed him as an abandoned child and that was only six months after you found him?"

"Nine," Martha corrected her as she watched her son and daughter-in-law, "Nine months. We didn't want for anyone to take him away from us. We still don't -"

"Well, it's good that the government isn't going to touch him or at least that's what they say," Lois said as she saw that this time, Clark had only burned through one-quarter of the towel. That was an improvement. After placing the thick hand towel to the side, Lois snuggled down next to her husband. She let her head rest on his chest to hear his heartbeat which was abnormal even for him.

"Strange though how he can burn through the fabric and not burn my lips," she told them as she held onto Clark tightly. She wanted him to wake up and tell them how he was feeling. They had put his body into shock. They had done things to him that maybe not even Superman could recover from.

"Lo—Lo—is," Clark whispered, calling for her in his sleep again.

"I'm here, sweetheart," she whispered to him, kissing the fabric of the shirt over his chest. "I'm right here. They won't touch you again. I won't let them take you again."

At this point there was a knock on the door and Lois had a sinking feeling in her gut but she clutched tighter to Clark. Nobody would take him away from her. Nobody.

**End of Chapter Four**

**Thank you for reading**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Three

Kagome Avalon, Supernurse

**AN: **Thank you Kagome Avalon for giving me a refresher, I appreciate it since I forgot a few things 😊


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: **I've been watching this show again so I've been inspired to update these fics 😊 Thank you for reading

**Chapter Five**

Clark shivered as the door opened and Lois gently placed her hand upon his chest. She hated seeing him this way. It wasn't only that he was Superman – she had changed him out of _that_ suit and tried to help him into more comfortable and less restraining clothing – but that he was her husband. He was always strong. Seeing him like this was unusual for her despite having been witness to it a few times before.

"I'm here," she whispered hoping that he would hear her. She heard Martha at the doorway and saw Johnathan in her arms. She saw Dr. Kline follow after but she still kept her hand upon Clark's chest. She kissed the top of his head. "Doctor…" she said as she brushed back Clark's hair a little. "Did you come to check up on him again?"

"I came to tell you some painful news as well," the doctor told her.

Lois stared at him in horror, was Clark able to hear this? Was he conscious?

"I'm not sure what to call him, I've been calling him Superman for such a long time now. To have discovered that he was also Clark Kent, what do you call him?" the doctor asked Lois who looked at her husband once again.

"Of course I call him Clark but he won't mind, whatever name you feel most comfortable with would be fine with him. Now, can you tell me it straight? Clark would want it that way, direct and to the point, none of this waiting around business." Lois replied as she felt the tears in her eyes. Was he here to tell her about his pending death?

"His heart and lungs have been poisoned," Doctor Kline informed her and Lois heard Martha gasp and cover her mouth with the hand that wasn't supporting her grandson.

Lois trembled as more tears fell down her cheeks, "Poisoned? How long does he have? You can do something, right? You can't let him die. I…I don't…"

"He won't die unless he's put into more danger. Right now, his body is able to fight off the poison and heal but the process will be gradual, it might be a couple of weeks or even a couple of months before he's himself again, before he can use all of his powers. I know that that is a harsh truth," Kline told her and Lois shook her head.

"That's better than losing him," she said as she looked at Clark lovingly. She hated how weak he was. She wasn't sure if holding him so tightly was hurting him but if it was, she would have to protect him in another way. "Is there anything that I can do to help him."

"He's incredibly weak," Kline told her. "He may have to be on bed rest for a long time, at least until he can be out of bed for at least a half hour. He'll have difficulty flying for several weeks. His powers may start to recover in two weeks or it could be longer. Of course, there are things about his physiology that we don't know about, the time frame may be shorter or longer but we'll keep an eye on that. It must have been hard, marrying someone not from this planet."

"It was actually the easiest decision I've ever had to make," Lois whispered as she cupped Clark's face with the hand that wasn't on his chest. He didn't need his glasses any longer but she hadn't thrown them away in case he _did_ want to continue to wear them. "No matter who he is, Superman, Clark, Kal-El, he will always be Clark, _my_ Clark."

"My Lo-Lois," Clark whispered as his hand met with the one of Lois's on his chest.

"Yes," Lois whispered through sobs. "I'm here, sweetheart. You just rest like the doctor ordered," she said as she knelt down beside him and saw his eyes flicker. He looked at her and she saw the pain and exhaustion which he had been put through. She loved looking into those beyond gorgeous eyes. He coughed slightly and Lois saw a little dark green liquid on his lips. She grabbed a tissue and dabbed at it. It looked like Kryptonite mixed with blood. Was this his lungs rejecting the poison? Maybe it wouldn't take as long as they thought. "Doctor Kline will run some tests on you. I'll be right beside you as he does."

"Tes-ts?" Clark whispered and Lois smoothed his hair down.

"Some standard tests, nothing like what they put you through. Tests like the ones you've had before. I'll be right beside you so I'll be able to help if anything happens. I'm so sorry," she whispered. She watched as he blinked at her confused to why she was apologizing. "I'm so sorry that you were so hurt. If only I had done something sooner. Can you forgive me?"

"It's not your faul-" Clark started to whisper in response before coughing painfully with his chest moving up in the bed. He groaned and Lois still brushed his hair back. She lent down, pressing a light kiss on his forehead. She put her fingertips over his mouth.

"If it's painful to you, you don't have to answer," she said lovingly. He wasn't invincible right now and although the opposite had been told to her, there was a chance he wouldn't be invincible ever again. "I love you, Clark," she said as he looked over to her, his eyelids still fluttering.

"Love…you…too," he told her before falling asleep. Lois carefully tucked him in. She lay beside him but over the covers. She looked to Dr. Kline.

"Can you perform the tests when he's asleep like last time?" she asked. He nodded and with another kiss, Lois stood up and went to hold their son in her arms.

LLCKLLCKLLCK

About a week later, Clark's recovery had been gradual but he had recovered a little. He kept trying to get up and out of the bed but Lois would catch him and remind him to lay down again. Sometimes he wouldn't rest until Johnathan was placed next to him and he felt that he could be a father to his son. During a time when he was a little more delirious, he had requested his Superman outfit and she had helped him into a new one since the old one had marks from the experimentation.

Lois heard a noise at the door and she moved to get it. Johnathan was in his crib for this moment. She froze as she saw someone who looked like they were from the government and she stretched her arms out, attempting to block entry.

"Hello," she said as she lifted her chin defensively. They had spent all their time in this location since they had rescued Clark from the lab and this was the first time a government agent had been standing there, let alone two. "I know that two men like yourselves will find it easy to gain entry but I won't let you get to my husband in the condition that he's in."

"We've come to apologize on behalf of the United States government," the first man said and Lois scoffed.

"Let me tell you this, my husband almost had a procedure done on his brain when he did not consent to it. I'm not some pushover who will agree so readily that it is forgotten. Do you even remember how much he has done for this country? How many times he has risked himself to defend a country that turned their back on him and put him through pain that I'm sure you couldn't even imagine? If you want to see him, tell me why, and it better be good _and_ believable."

Despite the size and physical profiles of the government officials, Lois was still strong in her own movements. She had her chin raised and gripped onto either side of the doorway. Yes, she didn't have the strength that Clark did but she did have the conviction of spirit, she still loved her family more than anything. Whatever happened to her, it didn't matter, _he_ mattered and he would think the same for her.

"Ma'am I know this is hard," the second official said and Lois continued to stand there.

"You could easily send a hundred men, I understand that but I won't let you get to him unless I know that he's safe. Now, tell me what's going on here." Lois felt a shakiness in her voice. She kept her arms still. They weren't going to take him into that lab ever again, they'd have to kill her first.

"The president wanted to extend his apologies. After all that Superman has done for the country, we want to get him into a safe and secure residence for his recovery. We have a car downstairs," they told her and Lois frowned. She had to admit that she was worried about people who might try to take advantage of them especially since Clark needed his rest. It sounded like a good idea but she wasn't sure if she could trust anyone. "We'd like to take him there."

"I'm not letting you just take him," Lois replied. "Wherever he goes, I am going too. He needs his rest. You don't understand what your scientists have done to him. I won't forgive or forget that easily." She lifted her chin again. "Would you?"

The agent shifted, "No, I would not. If you don't want to come now, then tonight?" he asked. "It's the best for his safety. We'll be able to arrange anything that he needs."

Lois took a slow breath in as she stared at them. She nodded, her heart beating painfully in her chest. She wasn't sure whether to trust anyone ever again but it made sense that she and Clark needed more protection with his secret being exposed. She hated the risk she was taking but at least she'd be with him. She'd have to ask Johnathan Sr. and Martha to take care of Johnathan Jr. but that could be done. She nodded again and after discussing times with the officials, she saw them go and returned to her husband. She wanted his opinion but was scared to stress him out. She would have to be brave for the both of them.

LLCKLLCKLLCK

Lois had managed to get Clark to put something over the superman outfit as they sat in the back of the government car. He didn't have his iconic glasses on so the image of Superman was still there for the officials but to her, he looked much more like himself. She felt his body shiver as his head rested against the window. He still desperately needed his rest.

"Sweetheart," she whispered to him and saw him look down groggily, she saw the sweat on his forehead. She touched his strong shoulder and delicately guided him so his head was in her lap. He shivered. Should she have moved him this early on?

"Maybe this will help you feel better" she commented as she pushed his hair back lovingly. He coughed some of the green fluid again and she dabbed at his mouth with a handkerchief. She hated not knowing what was wrong with his body. His body was different to hers but the physiology was close despite some distinct differences. She had to try to take care of him as much as possible.

"Seems strange, him being so weak….or dressed in normal clothes," the government official who wasn't driving added. Clark reached for Lois's hand which she immediately held and squeezed, she pushed his hair back. His temperature felt slightly cooler but he was still incredibly ill. She hated seeing him this way and she didn't need for it to be pointed out to her.

"Can we just get to the residence," she asked before turning to her husband. "It will be okay. You will be okay," she told him. She saw him nod to her but as he opened his mouth, he didn't speak. It seemed too painful for him to speak. She hated that this had happened to him. "You just relax, okay?" she told him. "I'll take care of everything."

LLCKLLCKLLCK

So, they had been telling the truth about a more secure residence. Lois actually felt safer in this house. There were guards and security equipment and everything they might need. There were also enough bedrooms for the whole family. She had managed to leave Clark's side as he slept a few days later and gone to the place she had set up as an office.

She stared at the computer as she looked over the short article that she had written. She wished she had more space to write it but being a journalist, she knew to pick her words carefully.

_You, the people, have asked numerous times how I feel about the dual identity of my husband. Let me settle that now. I love my husband. To me, he is Clark Kent, the man I worked beside, married, and trust above anyone else. I don't see him as alien, I see him as my best friend, the man I love, a hard-working reporter, and an amazing husband and father. Many people have told me that he is Superman with the secret identity of Clark Kent, this couldn't be further from the truth. Clark was born different than others. He grew up knowing he'd be seen as different if he was exposed. Even in Smallville, he had countless people to save. He came to Metropolis because he takes pride in a career he loves. When he discovered the crime level was daunting, the intrinsic beauty of Clark Kent couldn't stand by as he watched these things happen. He became Superman due to a need to help others, others unable to protect themselves from the harsh realities of crime. I couldn't be prouder of him or of being his wife. After all that he has done for this country, I hope he continues to receive your respect as Clark Kent. The only thing he seeks is acceptance. I hope that after the shock has cleared, you'll be able to give him at least that. He has given us so much that I believe he has earned that from all of us: acceptance._

Lois read through it again, making sure the word count was correct before she would send it to Perry. She wanted to write something that brought out his human side. He might be seen as a superhero but that was a smaller part of his personality. Most people wouldn't see it that way though. She clicked save before sitting back, she'd read through it another couple of times to perfect it.

As she sat still, she felt a set of hands on her shoulders, massaging them. She looked back and immediately stood up. "Clark," she whispered as she finally saw him out of the bed. She threw her arms around him, pressing her cheek into his chest. After making sure to breathe him in, she stood back and cupped his strong and well defined cheek.

"Sweetheart, how are you feeling? Are you sure that you should be standing?" she asked him as she pulled out the chair she had just been sitting on. "Here, sit down."

"I'm fine," he whispered before pushing her hair back and tucking it behind her ear. He kissed her forehead lovingly. "I've missed you," he told her and she looked up and into his eyes. He was doing a lot better than before. Still, it was her privilege to worry about him.

"Clark, what happened in that la-" she said before seeing how haunted he looked.

"I know you have a million questions about it," he said, his voice still weak but at least he could have a conversation with her, his body had recovered that much. "If possible though, for right now, just for right now, could we forget about it."

Lois stared at him before nodding. She kissed him again. "Yes, if that's what you want. I really missed you," she told him. "I'm glad that you're feeling better."

"I still don't feel like myself," he told her honestly. "I'm recovering though."

Lois nodded. She hugged him again. "I love you, no matter what," she promised him. "We'll get through this together, just like we can get through anything together."

**End of Chapter Five**

**Thank you for reading**

Thank you to the reviewers of Chapter Four

Gisela19wwe


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